STOP PRESS : Woman detainee threatenedby
guards - Black Women Rape Action Project has just been called by one
of the women in Yarl's Wood who wants women inside to be able to speak
by mobile to protestors on Sunday, as is their legal right. She was
called into the office by two unnamed female Serco managers who told her
that if “anything happens inside this Centre - we won’t tolerate
that, we will isolate you and move you.” Ms Z described their
manner as “menacing” and a deliberate attempt to silence her and other
women. Ms Z is particularly concerned as a friend was removed after
being told she was being taken to another detention centre. Ms Z refuses
to be silenced.

We urge people to write to Serco and demand
that the officers who threatened Ms Z be identified and disciplined, and
that any attempt at removing her or others should be stopped. Ms Z is
willing to speak to the media, but given the reprisals taking place
before Sunday protest she cannot reveal her name right now.

Rape survivors protest at End
Sexual Violence Summit in London

Several women, including asylum seekers,
joined Black Women’s Rape Action Project and Women Against Rape’s
protest on Thursday 12 June at the Summit. Three women interrupted
an event which Theresa May was due to speak at, unfolding a banner which
read "UK Stop Imprisoning and Deporting Rape Survivors".
The protest highlighted the reality of how the UK government treats rape
survivors – those seeking asylum from war zones and those reporting rape
in the UK.

After being escorted out of the meeting, they held
an impromptu speak-out. One woman managed to give a leaflet about our
protest to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who was also at the Summit Thursday.
They invited the couple to visit women in Yarl’s Wood Immigration Detention
Centre on Sunday 15 June to hear the truth about how the UK government treats
"courageous survivors". Ms Jolie said she knew about Yarl’s Wood.

On 2 May,
150 detainees at the Harmondsworth detention centre in the UK
staged a sit-down courtyard occupation and a hunger strike. They
petitioned to end the
'detained fast track' system, where decisions are made on asylum claims
within days allowing no time for people to gather evidence of the
persecution they suffered. In Colnbrook and Brooke House detention
centres,
detainees also staged
protests and hunger strikes. In
Campsfield, hunger
strikers demanded the closure of all UK detention centres.

Since 2005 there have been at least four major hunger strikes by women
inYarl’s Wood IRC.
Women came together across races to protest mothers being separated from
their children, sexual abuse by guards, inadequate food and negligent
health care. Their protests have prevented deportations and won the
release of many women - and compensation for unlawful detention.

Solidarity demonstration at Harmonsworth

6 May 2014

On 7
March, in the US a wave of hunger and work strikes by migrants
began at the
North West Detention Centreandgrew til it was 1200 strong. After 56 days, a Bill
encouraging "alternatives to detention" of undocumented migrants
was put forward. During that time, an unprecedented movement,
Not1More,
organised actions to urge President Obama to stop deportations, winning
the support of 30 members of Congress.

In April,
in Israel, 1000 people demonstrated at the
Holot detention centre in
the desert, where thousands of Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers have
been protesting imprisonment without trial, indefinite detention, and
illegal deportation to Uganda and Rwanda. In the same month, in
Valencia,Spain, 100 detainees started a hunger strike against
deportations.

5-6 April 2014 - Protest in New Orleans, one of 100 actions in 80
cities against Obama's 2 million people deportation

These
are just some of recent protests against detention centres spearheaded
by detainees with their families and supporters. Those of us outside
must support these courageous actions, and we invite you to join an
international day to close detention centres on 15 June, initiated by
Spanish groups.

CLOSE
DETENTION CENTRES!

·
Every year, about 30,000 people are detained in one of the 11 UK
detention centres without charge or conviction, without time
limit, often without reasons given in writing, and with inadequate
access to legal support, translation or healthcare.

·
Their only "crime": claiming asylum against persecution or the right to
remain with their family.

·
Some women face rape and other abuse from guards. In the UK, women’s
protests,
reported in the press,
led MPs to summon Yarl's Wood management to explain their action in
parliament.

·
Detention centres are used as a punishment and a deterrent against
people seeking safety in the host country. Even children are detained,
sometimes with the
active collaboration of charities

Outside Aluche detention centre (Madrid) in Spain where on Action Day
2013 there were actions in 10 cities

·Black Women’s Rape Action Project
and Women Against Rape have highlighted that 70% of women in
detention are rape survivors, detained contrary to government
guidelines, in conditions reminiscent of the persecution they fled. Many
women and men are survivors of other torture. Children are traumatised
by being separated from friends and schools.

·
Physical violence from guards during deportations is
rampant.
None of us will forget
Jimmy Mubenga held down
by G4S guards until he suffocated. Women seeking asylum from the All
African Women’s Group commented: “if Jimmy’s death goes unpunished,
it will be open season on us all – whether we are seeking asylum,
immigrant or just in the wrong place.”

At Holot detention Centre in Israel, April 2014

WHAT YOU CAN DO

·Organise
an action on 15J
- a hunger strike, a vigil, a sit-in, a meeting, a demonstration, an art
event…